Brunch…I mean really, it’s lunch, but on the weekends in NYC, they call it brunch. So I guess if it ain’t broke, have yourself a Spinach and Irish Cheddar Quiche, Cherry Tomato Salad with a Shallot Vinaigrette and Brown Sugar Bacon whydontyou.
When I moved to New York for college, brunch was easily at 3pm (hey…it’s a Friday or Saturday night. YOU know what I’m talking about). As I’m getting older, and I seem to need less sleep - though, all I crave is more sleep, I find that brunch happens a bit earlier, closer to noon (pending, of course, what has gone on the night before). And even though nothing in life makes me happier than a good, juicy cheeseburger (Paul’s on 2nd Ave and St. Marks comes to mind rightthisverysecond), especially after one of those nights (see sloppy joe recipe below), sometimes a girl just wants to get up early and fix herself and a few good friends a quiche. And gooooood coffee. And mimosas.
So, that’s exactly what I did. I didn’t get all fancy and make my own pie crust…Whole Foods makes a perfectly delicious one in the frozen food section (it’ll probably be closer to the ice cream and desserts). Quiche is one of those foods that is mightily impressive and ridiculously easy and, just like that old Rice Krispies commercial from maybe the late 80’s or early 90’s - where the mom goes into the kitchen and sprinkles some flour on her nose and acts like she slaved over the Rice Krispies Treats, when, SURPRISE! she didn’t - well, that’s like making quiche. I have to say, I enjoy hearing the ooooooh’s and aaaaaah’s and give myself a mental pat on the back because, I know the secret.
I figured, since we’re having quiche and bacon, I’d serve it with a salad. But some greens and a balsamic vinaigrette is so boring. I did a very simple tomato salad with shallot and sherry vinaigrette. Super simple and wildly delicious. And one more note, I decided to dip the bacon into brown sugar and put them on a wire rack, in a sheet pan, and bake them in the oven. I see people on the food network do it all the time. But when I did it, the sugar started to caramelize and then burn, making my apartment smell wonderfully bacon-y and terribly burnt. It also took about 2 weeks of soaking that pan before I got off all the burnt sugar bits. I’ll just bake the bacon as is next time. That was me trying to get a little fancy, and the bacon saying to me, “girrrrl, you’ll take me as I am and you’ll like it.” Damn that bacon schooled me real good. There was also delicious coffee and (thanks to a wonderful bottle of champagne), mimosas.
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Spinach Quiche (adapted from the Smitten Kitchen)
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup half and half (or milk)
3 eggs
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup grated cheddar (Gruyere works well, too. I used an Irish cheddar)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup finely diced shallots
1 tablespoon butter
1 prepared pie or tart crust
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 425°. Saute shallots in butter on medium-low heat until soft. Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in half and half and eggs. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Marinated Tomato Salad (from Dave Lebovitz)
1 small shallot
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes or any nice looking, ripe tomato (enough to make about 2 cups wedged)
Peel and mince the shallot, or slice it very fine. Mix it in a medium-sized non-reactive bowl with the vinegar and a nice pinch of salt and a few turns of freshly-ground black pepper. If possible, let stand a couple of hours.
Stir in the olive oil. Slice the tomatoes then toss them in the dressing.
Let sit a few minutes, stirring a couple of times, then pile on a plate and serve.
Bacon
Wire rack
Sheet pan
delicious, delicious, bacon
Put the rack in the pan and the bacon on top. 400 degrees. Until desired crispness.
